1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a drill cuttings disposal method and system wherein the cuttings are treated to form a slurry which is pumped into an earth formation through an annular area formed within a wellbore.
2. Background
The disposal of drill cuttings from drilling various types of wells has become an increasingly difficult problem due to restrictions imposed by various governmental authorities and the desire to minimize environmental damage. These problems are aggravated or at least amplified in certain well drilling operations, particularly in offshore drilling operations, wherein the disposal of drill cuttings normally requires transport of the cuttings to a suitable landfill or shore-based processing system.
One solution to drill cuttings disposal problems is disclosed and claimed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/322,585 to Edward Malachosky, et al, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,929, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In the system disclosed in the above-referenced application, drill cuttings are separated from the drilling fluid and reclaimed for use as construction grade gravel. Finer particles of material are slurried and injected into an earth formation through a disposal well. However, disposal of all of the drill cuttings, in many instances, is not as conveniently handled, particularly in offshore well drilling operations. It is to this end that the present invention has been developed with a view to providing a system and method for disposing of drill cuttings which are removed from the drilling fluid during the drilling process and are not suitable for reuse, reclamation or other disposal processes.